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James Earnhart, 83

ALBION — James M. “Jim” Earnhart, 83, well known Noble County farmer and a resident of rural Albion, passed away at 12:19 p.m. on Monday, March 5, 2012, at Parkview Noble Hospital in Kendallville following a lengthy illness.He had been taken to the hospital from his home earlier in the day. Mr. Earnhart was born March 12, 1928, in Kosciusko County, a son of Arby Nelson and Mary (Doke) Earnhart, and moved to Green Township in Noble County as a child with his parents.He spent his formative years on the family farm there and graduated from Churubusco High School in 1947. As a young man he served with the U. S. Army during the Korean Conflict, and was married in Whitley County on Dec. 6, 1952, to Mary Jane McCoy.He spent all of his adult life engaged in farming in Green Township, and raising Hampshire hogs.A member of the Blue River Church of the Brethren in Whitley County, he also served on the Noble County Swine Committee, and was a founding member of the Noble County Pork Producers. Surviving relatives include the widow, Mary Jane Earnhart, to whom he was married for more than 59 years; his children, Michael (Mitzi) Earnhart, Sandy (Kevin) Libben, and Steven (Deborah) Earnhart, all of Albion; two sisters, Martha Smith of Albion and Annamae Earnhart of Churubusco; six grandchildren, Myan (Charla) Earnhart, Derek (Jamie) Earnhart, Molli (Jeremy) Dietrich, Darbi (David) Konkle, Ashley Libben, and Courtney Libben; seven great-grandchildren, Kya and Kena Hammond, Remi, Sadler, James, and Max Earnhart, and Daelyn Konkle; and a stepgreat-grandson Terrin Dietrich. In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by three brothers, Gene E. Earnhart, Dean N. Earnhart, and Frederic A. Earnhart.Funeral services will be held at 11 a.m. on Friday, March 9, 2012, in the Blue River Church of the Brethren, 3040 East 700 North, Whitley County.Pastor Craig Alan Myers will officiate.Friends may call at the Sheets & Childs Funeral Home in Churubusco on Thursday from 2 to 8 p.m., or at the church one hour prior to the service.Interment with military graveside rites will be in the Christian Chapel Cemetery, Merriam.For those who wish, memorials may be directed to the church building fund or the Noble County Swine Committee. To leave an online condolence for the family in Mr. Earnhart’s memory, log on to www.sheetsandchilds.net